Stability analysis and time-step limits for a Monte Carlo Compton-scattering method

We perform a stability analysis of a Monte Carlo method for simulating the Compton scattering of photons by free electron in high energy density applications and develop time-step limits that avoid unstable and oscillatory solutions. Implementing this Monte Carlo technique in multi physics problems typically requires evaluating the material temperature at its beginning-of-time-step value, which can lead to this undesirable behavior. With a set of numerical examples, we demonstrate the efficacy of our time-step limits.

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